This collection documents the legislative career of Pennsylvania House of Representative Member (1979-1984) and later Pennsylvania State Senator, Michael (Mike) M. Dawida (D-Carrick), from 1985 to 1995. The collection mostly covers his career as State Senator (1989-1995). The materials in this collection are legislative files which were used to draft pieces of legislation; subject files of the various public issues that concerned Dawida; news releases; correspondence; videotapes of "Senate Journal," a television program hosted by Dawida, and various other videotapes of appearances by the Senator.

Michael (Mike) M. Dawida was born September 4, 1949 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He attended Carrick High School and then went to the University of Pittsburgh, from which he graduated in 1971 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Dawida became a child care worker who worked with drug addicts and delinquent teenagers from 1969 to 1977. He later earned his J.D. at Hamline School of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota. He returned to Pittsburgh and worked as an attorney from 1977 to 1978. Dawida was first elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1979 as a Democrat from the Carrick District. In his career as a Representative (1979-1984), Dawida sponsored the Clean Indoor Air Act, which sought to regulate smoking in public places. The law was responsible for creating separate smoking and non-smoking sections in restaurants. Initially, the bill was unpopular with the public and Dawida’s fellow legislators, passing by only one vote. Since then the Clean Indoor Air Act has been expanded to restrict smoking in restaurants and bars.

Dawida was elected to the Pennsylvania Senate in 1989 and served in this capacity until 1995. During his career as a State Senator, he was concerned with improving health and welfare conditions for residents of Pennsylvania. He introduced and sponsored the Pennsylvania Food Donor Act, which made it easier for restaurants to donate leftover food to food banks and shelters without fear of lawsuits. He brought attention to the growing homeless population in Pennsylvania’s cities. He introduced and authored the landmark Pennsylvania Organ Donation Act, which encouraged the donation of organs by registering when applying for drivers’ licenses. This act was used as the national model for organ donation legislation. He also focused on the economic development of the commonwealth by establishing the Pennsylvania International Partners in Progress to open markets in Eastern Europe.

In 1996 Dawida was elected to the Allegheny County Board of Commissioners where he served until 2000 when a new Home Rule form of government became law. He served as its last Chairman of the Board from mid 1998 to 2000. Among his contributions as Commissioner was orchestrating several billion dollars of development projects which included Heinz Field, PNC Park, the Convention Center, and a multitude of other projects, such as the Waterfront shopping area in Homestead.

Collection Scope and Content Notes

The papers of Michael M. Dawida pertain to his career as a politician in the Pennsylvania Legislature from 1984 to 1995. The bulk of the collection (1989-1995) focuses on his career as a State Senator. The collection contains a variety of material including legislative files used to draft legislation; subject files Dawida kept to research public issues; news releases; correspondence; videotapes of "Senate Journal," a local television program hosted by Senator Dawida, and other media appearances. Areas of concentration are insurance reform, homelessness, free trade, tobacco and smoking legislation, organ donation, and health and welfare issues.

Permission for publication is given on behalf of the University of Pittsburgh as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Collection Inventory

Series I.Legislative Files, 1985-1995

Scope and Content Notes:

This series dates between 1985 and 1995 and contains files used by Senator Dawida to introduce and draft legislation in the Pennsylvania House and Senate. The legislative series also includes information on the various committees Senator Dawida served on during his tenure in the Senate. The material is arranged chronologically.

Department of Education, Subsidies for Education and Summary of New Legislation effecting Education, 1986

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12

Capital Budget and General Fund, 1986

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13

Proposed Amendments to Funeral Director Law, 1986-1988

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14

Pennsylvania House of Representatives Review of Key Legislation Passed, 1987

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15

Welfare Subcommittee Files, 1987

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16

Information on House Bill 68, Nursing Home Reimbursement, 1987

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17

Amendments to the Divorce Code, 1987

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18

Co-Sponsored Legislation, 1987-1988

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19

Blind Person Pension Legislation, 1987

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20

Information on House Resolution 22, Practices of Discount Beer 1987

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21

Smoking Legislation, 1988-1990

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22

Local Tax Reform, 1989

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23

Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PennVest), 1989

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24

Department of Commerce, 1989-1990

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25

Public Health and Welfare Committee, 1990

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26

Organ Donor Legislation, Public Hearing Testimony, 1993

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27

Steel Valley Enterprise Zone Check Presentation, 1993

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28

Organ Donor Legislation Newspaper clippings, 1993-1994

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29

Baseball Stadium Lottery Tax Fund Legislation, 1994

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30

Baseball Stadium Lottery Tax Fund Newspaper clippings, 1994

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31

East European Task Force, 1995

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Members of East European Task Force Photograph, 1995

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33

Senate Farewell Message, 1995

Series II.Subject Files, 1984-1992

Scope and Content Notes:

The subject files were materials kept of constituent concerns from Senator Dawida’s home district. This series includes information on the Steel Valley area, distressed communities, homelessness in Pennsylvania cities, health care costs, and restoration of industrial areas. Of particular interest are information and a proposal to build a high speed train across Pennsylvania, which would bring skilled technological jobs to the region and connect the state's largest cities. For more information on Maglev, please see Series VI, Box 11, Folders 4-5. The material in this series ranges in dates between 1984 to 1991 and is arranged chronologically.

The news releases series contain press releases issued by Senator Dawida’s office on pieces of legislation. Also included are newspaper clippings chronicling legislation and subjects related to his legislative interests and activities, such as the public’s reaction to his Organ Donor and Tobacco legislation. The series also has material related to press conferences held by the Senator’s office. The material is arranged chronologically from 1985 to 1995.

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29

News Releases, 1985

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30

News Releases, January-December 1986

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31

Newspaper Clippings, Gary Hart’s visit at Rainbow Kitchen, 1987

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32

News Releases on Homelessness, 1987

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News Releases, 1987

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34

Tobacco Legislation New Releases and Newspaper clippings, 1989

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35

News Releases, 1990

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36

News Releases, 1991

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37

Child-Care Legislation Press Conference, 1991

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38

School Breakfast Legislation Press Conference, 1991

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39

Maglev Caucus Press Conference, 1991

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40

News Releases, 1992

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41

Pittsburgh Public Schools Food Donations Press Conference, 1992

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42

News Releases, 1993

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43

Omsk, Siberia Trip Press Conference, 1993

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44

News Releases, 1994

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45

Organ Donor Legislation Press Releases, 1995

Series IV.Correspondence, 1985-1993

Scope and Content Notes:

This series, which dates between 1985 and 1993, contains correspondence relating to Senator Dawida’s work and interest in the Pennsylvania Legislature. The correspondence is most plentiful for 1985 and 1986 and organized by month. Later dates are kept by year. Included is a sampling of constituent correspondence, from which every third letter was retained. The correspondence series also includes letters the Senator wrote to the newspaper,
The Pittsburgh Press, memos sent to Senate members about sponsoring legislation, and correspondence on budget matters.

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46

Memos sent to all House members, 1985

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47

Letters to
The Pittsburgh Press, 1985, 1988

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48

Correspondence, January 1985

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49

Correspondence, February 1985

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50

Correspondence, March 1985

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51

Correspondence, April 1985

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Correspondence, May 1985

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Correspondence, June 1985

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54

Correspondence, July 1985

Box 3

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1

Correspondence, August 1985

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2

Correspondence, September 1985

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3

Correspondence, October 1985

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4

Correspondence, November 1985

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Correspondence, December 1985

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6

Correspondence, January 1986

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Correspondence, February 1986

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Correspondence, March 1986

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Correspondence, April 1986

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Correspondence, May 1986

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11

Correspondence, June 1986

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12

Correspondence, July 1986

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13

Correspondence, August 1986

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14

Correspondence, September 1986

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15

Correspondence, October 1986

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Correspondence, November 1986

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Correspondence, December 1986

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18

Correspondence, 1987

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19

Budget Correspondence, 1987

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20

Correspondence, 1988

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21

Correspondence, 1989-1992

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22

Organ Donor Legislation Correspondence, 1993

Series V.“Senate Journal” Television Program, 1989-1995

Scope and Content Notes:

“Senate Journal” was a local television program hosted by Senator Dawida. The program sought to inform constituents on important local and public issues and the activities of the Legislature in Harrisburg. The “Senate Journal” series dates between 1988 and 1995 and is arranged chronologically. All “Senate Journal” programs are on VHS cassette tapes and can be viewed at the Archives Service Center.

This series dates between 1988 and 1995 and is arranged chronologically. It features appearances Senator Dawida made on television news segments, public service announcements, and as guests on talk shows. All material in this series is on VHS cassette tapes and can be viewed at the Archives Service Center.

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9

Anti-Smoking Bill Signing, December 21, 1988

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10

“Recharge Southside Steel,” undated

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11

“Senator Dawida News Conference,” January 1, 1991

Box 11

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1

“Tourism ’90 Pittsburgh,” undated

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2

Capital Connection, Topic: Tourism in Pennsylvania, June 21, 1990

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3

Report to the People with Senator Porterfield, Topic: Tourism in Pennsylvania, June 27, 1990